Chelsea coach, Mauricio Pochettino, said he was delighted with the performance of the Blues in his first competitive match in charge, which was a 1-1 draw at home to Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday.

He has also hinted at more new signings in the pipeline.

Pochettino, Chelsea’s third permanent manager in a year, said the first 20 minutes of the game at Stamford Bridge was tough.

“I’m so pleased with the performance overall.

“I think we deserved to win because we conceded only one shot on target against a team like Liverpool … It’s only the start, it’s only the beginning,” the Argentine told reporters.

Pochettino said he was happy with the way his players responded to going behind to a Luiz Diaz opener in the 18th minute.

“When some difficult moments appeared, the team was there and then the crowd was fantastic,” he added.

Debutant defender Axel Disasi equalised in the 37th minute and Chelsea dominated for much of the second half.

Access24 reports that Chelsea, whose new American owners spent over 600 million pounds (761.64 million dollars) last season only for the team to finish 12th, remained linked with Brighton and Hove Albion midfield anchor Moises Caicedo.

This is despite Liverpool announcing last week that they had a deal with the South Coast club to buy the player.

Pochettino previously managed Chelsea’s London rivals Tottenham Hotspur but was given a rapturous welcome by Blues fans before the game and an ovation after it.

He later told reporters after the game that he expected more new players to arrive, without giving individual names.

“We need good players. Yes, we need to improve the squad.

“For sure we are going to improve the squad. It’s about finding, you know, the right profile, the right player to create the combination that we are maybe more solid,” he said when asked about Chelsea’s midfield.

Asked about the absence of goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga from Sunday’s squad, amid media speculation about a move to Real Madrid, Pochettino said the Spaniard was looking at “different situations, different possibilities.

“For us, the decision is to have all the players who are committed and thinking to be in Chelsea for the season and that is why he wasn’t in the squad.”

Pochettino said he substituted Chelsea’s new club captain Reece James late on because he was tired and needed to be managed carefully after suffering injuries last season.